Transplanting tomatillos

[BlackThumb]

First time trying to grow tomatillos. (Are they also called ground cherries? I don't know.) Anyway, I have started them indoors and they hav several sets of leaves, so I am going to transplant to large buckets (one per) in the next day or tow. My question is this: The seedlings are strong, with thick stems, but they are a bit leggy. Can I plant them deeply enough for a couple of inches of the stem to be underground, or do I need to plant them level to the dirt in the six packs? I am concerned that planting them deeply will do some kind of damage to the stem.

ETA: Zone 9

 

[lesa]

That works perfectly for regular tomatoes- not sure on your tomatillos... If no one on here knows for sure, I would do an experiment and try both. One way or the other is bound to work! Good luck- Enjoy!

 

[wifezilla]

Tomitillos and ground cherries look similar, but they are not the same. They are "cousins". Ground cherries have a pineapple-ish flavor to them.

I would imagine you could plant them deep like a tomato. I did a few quick google searches and everyone says treat them like tomatoes and bury 'em deep.

 

[patandchickens]

Yup, ground cherries are pretty different from tomatillos, other than being tomato-type fruits within a papery husk.

Back when I used to grow tomatillos I just, sort of unthinkingly, treated them same as tomatoes, and did the "plant them up to their armpits" thing, and nothing bad ever happened. I never tried *not* doing it so I can't say if they benefitted or not but it sure did not seem to affect them adversely.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat, who started the first spinach and lettuce seeds of the year today, woo hoo!

 

[obsessed]

I have grown them a few times and treated them like tomatoes as well. They got to be very nice big plants. They didn't get verky tall but diffinately round and bushy so make sure you give them enough room between plants so they can spread out.

 

[ducks4you]

They're really easy to grow. My first plants, 3 years ago, were clearance plants. I get volunteers every year from the children of these original plants. They look like sweet/hot peppers but they have yellow flowers that resemble tomatoes. Let the fruit get big before you harvest. Happy growing!! :rose